Hi,
I'm new to refurbing, and am having some trouble replacing some burnt out lights on a HK 33c receiver. It has a row of 6 lights that look just like fuses, plus a stereo indicator and a power button light.
1) Basically, do I get to the lights from the front or the back? I've removed the front face plate and tuner cover and tuner dial plate,and can get to some of the bulbs, but not the tuning meter, and stereo indicator light. Do I keep going from the front,and take of the large metal plate (which holds the tuner needle slide mechanism), or do I try to remove the metal bracket that holds the lamps from the back?
2) The power indicator light - I can pull it out, but the wires are attached, and pull out with it. I does not seem to be in any kind of socket. The wires look like they attach directly to the bottom of the bulb. How do I replace it then? Do I unsolder the wires?
Thanks for any help you could give me,
Jim B
I'm new to refurbing, and am having some trouble replacing some burnt out lights on a HK 33c receiver. It has a row of 6 lights that look just like fuses, plus a stereo indicator and a power button light.
1) Basically, do I get to the lights from the front or the back? I've removed the front face plate and tuner cover and tuner dial plate,and can get to some of the bulbs, but not the tuning meter, and stereo indicator light. Do I keep going from the front,and take of the large metal plate (which holds the tuner needle slide mechanism), or do I try to remove the metal bracket that holds the lamps from the back?
2) The power indicator light - I can pull it out, but the wires are attached, and pull out with it. I does not seem to be in any kind of socket. The wires look like they attach directly to the bottom of the bulb. How do I replace it then? Do I unsolder the wires?
Thanks for any help you could give me,
Jim B
The lamps that look like fuses are indeed called fuse lamps. They come in different voltages, so be sure to replace with the same voltage (either 6, 8 or 12 volt). For some reason, 8v is common.
I don't know your receiver, but the lamps on pigtails are called grain of wheat bulbs. Radio Shack sells a few types, but may not have an exact match for yours. Again, they come in different voltages, typically 6 or 12 volt, so you need to match that. They come with wire leads, so you can replace the whole assembly.
I don't know your receiver, but the lamps on pigtails are called grain of wheat bulbs. Radio Shack sells a few types, but may not have an exact match for yours. Again, they come in different voltages, typically 6 or 12 volt, so you need to match that. They come with wire leads, so you can replace the whole assembly.
I just refurbished one of these for a local pawn shop. I wish I had bought it...
You can try it a couple ways (replacing the back-light bulbs): You can either remove the display (not recommended), or remove the tuner indicator assembly(not recommended). The good news is (at least on the one I repaired) was that the bulbs were not soldered in, but just clipped in. The light for the power button and the signal meter are soldered in however. For the power button and signal meter I just wired in some resistors and diodes and installed "white" (really more of a pale blue) LEDs. Thats the last time they will be changed. Hope this helps a little. I really am starting to regret having not bought it. At least then I could show you pictures of it disassembled.
You can try it a couple ways (replacing the back-light bulbs): You can either remove the display (not recommended), or remove the tuner indicator assembly(not recommended). The good news is (at least on the one I repaired) was that the bulbs were not soldered in, but just clipped in. The light for the power button and the signal meter are soldered in however. For the power button and signal meter I just wired in some resistors and diodes and installed "white" (really more of a pale blue) LEDs. Thats the last time they will be changed. Hope this helps a little. I really am starting to regret having not bought it. At least then I could show you pictures of it disassembled.
Slowhands and Mjarve,
Thanks for the info, its just what I needed.
Mjarve, did you mean that both removing the display and the tuner assembly were not recommened, or was one of them recommened?
Taking apart the tuner assembly is intimidating!
Jim B
Thanks for the info, its just what I needed.
Mjarve, did you mean that both removing the display and the tuner assembly were not recommened, or was one of them recommened?
Taking apart the tuner assembly is intimidating!
Jim B
If you remove the display, you run the very real risk of break the plastic, as it is glued in. Disassembling the tuner indicator assembly would be the wiser course, however it is complex to try to do it without having to remove the string/cord that the indicator travels with (and is connected to the tuning dial and the tuner itself), and even more complex if you do try to do with removing the string. You can mark locations (such as the position of the tuner and the indicator at a given tuning selection) but I found even doing that the indicator will not be spot on as it was before.
Also be careful of stripping the screw heads holding the indicator assembly together… They are made of a relatively soft metal, and over the years may have become stuck. I actually had to drill out a screw after the head became too stripped to remove.
Also be careful of stripping the screw heads holding the indicator assembly together… They are made of a relatively soft metal, and over the years may have become stuck. I actually had to drill out a screw after the head became too stripped to remove.
Mjarve,
I see what you mean. Luckily, I was able to get the face plate off without breaking it. So I got the face plate off, but not the large metal plate that it was glued to. To take that off, I would have to mess with the tuner needle, which I don't want to.
Even with the face plate off, it's still hard to get to the stereo indicator light to remove it. Can that rail that holds the lights, and has a circuit board on the back of it be removed? It couldn't be moved far because of the connections soldered to it, but would it make it easier to access the stereo indicator light?
As far as the power indicator light, could I cut the wires to it, remove it, get a replacement light, and then splice it to the old wires? I don't really want to do any soldering.
Sorry to ask so many questions, Mjarve. I appreciate the time you've taken to help me.
Jim B
I see what you mean. Luckily, I was able to get the face plate off without breaking it. So I got the face plate off, but not the large metal plate that it was glued to. To take that off, I would have to mess with the tuner needle, which I don't want to.
Even with the face plate off, it's still hard to get to the stereo indicator light to remove it. Can that rail that holds the lights, and has a circuit board on the back of it be removed? It couldn't be moved far because of the connections soldered to it, but would it make it easier to access the stereo indicator light?
As far as the power indicator light, could I cut the wires to it, remove it, get a replacement light, and then splice it to the old wires? I don't really want to do any soldering.
Sorry to ask so many questions, Mjarve. I appreciate the time you've taken to help me.
Jim B
It can, but there is very little play in it... And the board itself is fragile. There are a couple of screws holding it in, but the back part of the indicator and display get in the way. Now if I remember correctly, there were actually two or three different versions of this (original, reissue, and maybe a tube version (I've heard rumors, but never saw one)).
I am including a picture I drew from memory (using paint prush). If I remember, the string for the tuner gets in the way if you try to approach the board from the back. You may have to remove the string., or try to get it out of the way enough to work on the lights. I know I am missing somthing else that makes approaching it from the back difficult, but cannot seem to remember what it is.
I am including a picture I drew from memory (using paint prush). If I remember, the string for the tuner gets in the way if you try to approach the board from the back. You may have to remove the string., or try to get it out of the way enough to work on the lights. I know I am missing somthing else that makes approaching it from the back difficult, but cannot seem to remember what it is.
Attachments
Wow, I'm impressed! Very well drawn from memory.
And you are right, taking the rail off from the back in problematic, for the reasons you mentioned, and I notice that the housing for the stereo indicator light is attached pretty well to the front metal plate that the tuner face was attached to, so the rail wouldn't detach easily from the metal plate anyway.
Oh well, almost all of the other lights work. The crazy thing is that the 3 lights that are out, the power indicator, stereo indicator and tuning meter are all at one end of that rail, and are really difficult to get at.
But, hey it sounds great anyway. If you ever get a chance to get one of that family of receivers (330c, 430 and 730), go for it, they sound great and the styling is excellent.
Thanks for all of your help.
Jim B
And you are right, taking the rail off from the back in problematic, for the reasons you mentioned, and I notice that the housing for the stereo indicator light is attached pretty well to the front metal plate that the tuner face was attached to, so the rail wouldn't detach easily from the metal plate anyway.
Oh well, almost all of the other lights work. The crazy thing is that the 3 lights that are out, the power indicator, stereo indicator and tuning meter are all at one end of that rail, and are really difficult to get at.
But, hey it sounds great anyway. If you ever get a chance to get one of that family of receivers (330c, 430 and 730), go for it, they sound great and the styling is excellent.
Thanks for all of your help.
Jim B
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